Bloomington, Indiana – The City of Bloomington is taking a closer look at how it reviews development plans and issues permits, and city officials are asking the people who work with those systems every day to help guide improvements. On January 14, 2026, the city’s Planning & Transportation and Utilities Departments will host a public listening session aimed at gathering firsthand feedback from a wide range of local stakeholders.
The effort is part of a larger initiative to improve efficiency, transparency, and communication within Bloomington’s development review and permitting processes. To support that goal, the city has commissioned American Structurepoint, an outside consulting firm, to conduct an independent and detailed audit of how those systems currently operate. The firm will examine everything from internal workflows to communication gaps, with the goal of identifying redundancies, bottlenecks, and other problem areas that can slow projects down or create confusion.
City officials say the listening sessions are a critical piece of that work. Rather than relying only on internal data, American Structurepoint will hear directly from professionals and community members who regularly interact with the city’s planning and permitting systems. Participants are not expected to prepare presentations or submit documents. Instead, they are encouraged to attend with an open mind and share honest experiences, observations, and concerns.
The interview sessions will take place at the Monroe County Downtown Library Branch, located at 303 E. Kirkwood Ave. in Bloomington. Four small group sessions are scheduled throughout the day, each lasting about one hour and twenty minutes and focused on a specific group of stakeholders.
The day will begin with a morning session from 9:30 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. in Meeting Room 1C for design professionals, including engineers, architects, surveyors, planners, and real estate brokers. That will be followed by a late-morning session from 11:00 a.m. to 12:20 p.m., also in Meeting Room 1C, designed for local business owners and applicants involved in smaller development projects.
After a midday break, developers will meet from 1:30 p.m. to 2:50 p.m. in Meeting Room 2A. The final session of the day, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:20 p.m. in the same room, will focus on builders and contractors.
City representatives are specifically inviting local business owners and small-project applicants to attend the late-morning session. Officials note that participants may send a designee if they are unable to attend personally. For those who cannot take part at all, the city says it is willing to explore alternative ways to collect feedback to ensure no perspectives are missed.
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The information gathered during these sessions will help shape recommendations aimed at improving how the city delivers planning and permitting services. Ultimately, the goal is to create a smoother, more predictable process that benefits residents, businesses, and development professionals alike.
Anyone planning to attend is asked to confirm their availability ahead of time. Questions about the session can be directed to city staff using the contact information provided in the invitation.
City officials say community input will play a key role in shaping Bloomington’s future and encourage stakeholders to participate in this important conversation.
